Caught
by Lady Azura
Summary: George and Nora are forced to confront two of their kids after catching them in a rather… interesting predicament. Oneshot


Summary: _George and Nora are forced to confront two of their kids after catching them in a rather… interesting predicament. (Oneshot)_

Disclaimer: Don't own _Life With Derek_ 'Nuff said.

Author's Note: … I have no idea where this came from.

X

**Caught****  
**_**By: Lady Azura**_

X

Edwin Venturi and Lizzie McDonald had always gotten along remarkably well, and for the most part, their parents were pleased. Given what their eldest put them through on a daily basis, it was hard not to feel _extremely_ grateful that at least _two_ of their kids got along well enough to act civilized, and weren't constantly at each other's throats or trying to kill one another. It gave them a bit of a break, so to speak, and so they were positively _delighted_ when - only a few weeks after they'd tied the knot and moved in together - Edwin and Lizzie just seemed to… click. Even if it was initially just an alliance formed in order to get back at their older siblings for being so ridiculously overbearing and selfish. _Still_. It was _way_ better than fighting, and eventually, a healthy friendship _did_ blossom from all their teaming up. A weird friendship, yes, but a healthy one - as far as they knew.

However, over time, their closeness began to worry George and Nora. Well, not really _worry_, per say, but it certainly did… concern them.

Over the course of the next few years of living together, they started to notice things. Things that they hadn't quite noticed before. Things that only became more prominent and clear to them after Derek and Casey had left for college, and weren't around to distract them anymore.

It was small things at first, like how often Edwin and Lizzie would find ways to touch each other, whether it be an 'accidental' brush of the fingers while reaching for the remote at the same time (followed closely by shy, awkward, apologetic looks and reddening faces), or how often Edwin would casually throw his arm over Lizzie's shoulders and pull her close, and how often she would lean into him once he did it. Subtle things that most people would probably pay no heed to, and in most cases, neither would George and Nora, but given how frequently it happened, they couldn't help but wonder if it was all just coincidental, or if there was something more - something they weren't quite seeing.

It wasn't until they were in high school, however, that George and Nora's suspicions began to _really_ heighten, and they started to notice more things. Not-so-subtle things.

Their wardrobes, for example, had changed drastically (Lizzie did so by embracing her 'femininity' and opting to wear more 'feminine' clothing, like skirts and tight jeans; and Edwin did so by becoming more hygienic and adopting a style similar to his brother's, but different enough to call it his own). Like most people, George and Nora assumed that it was just the transition from elementary school to high school; from tweenhood to teenhood. They assumed that they were just growing up.

That assumption, however, was quickly squashed, especially when they started to notice the way they acted around each other. The way they became even more touchy-feely than before - if that were even possible - and acted so… _casual_ about it. Like it was perfectly normal for Edwin to rest his head in Lizzie's lap when they watched TV, while she combed her fingers through his curly dark hair and massaged his scalp; like it was perfectly normal for her to lay her head on his shoulder and lace their fingers together while they all (George, Nora and Marti included - sometimes Derek and Casey, if they happened to drop by that weekend) sat in the living room watching the traditional Friday night movie; like it was perfectly normal to be so damn close to one another. Neither parent could even remember the last time they'd seen one without the other. It was like they were inseparable or something.

That wasn't even the half of it, though. George had also started to notice the way his son looked at his step-daughter, particularly when they were all (with the exception of Derek and Casey) sitting around the dinner table. How his eyes would linger on her for an unnecessarily long time, or how these longing, faraway, dreamy expressions would appear on his face whenever she spoke - like he was completely immersed in whatever she had to say. It was a shocker, considering that he usually had the attention span of a rodent. Those same looks, however, were often reciprocated by Lizzie whenever Edwin spoke. Despite how random or weird or pointless.

Then there was the amount of time that they spent in the Games Closet. Now that Derek and Casey were no longer there to boss them around or use them as liaisons, they shouldn't have had any reason to spend so much time in there anymore. However, whenever Nora or her husband would bring it up (_"What do you guys_ do _in there anyway?"_), the only answer they'd get was a quick and simultaneous "Nothing!", and a couple of red faces. Which only fueled George and Nora's suspicions that SOMETHING was going on between their two middle children, and while they weren't entirely sure WHAT, they would definitely find out.

And they did.

Eventually.

Just… not in the way they thought they would.

It happened on a Saturday afternoon - _that_ Saturday afternoon, to be precise. George and Nora had been invited to a barbeque at one of George's co-workers' houses, and the two had left Edwin and Lizzie home alone because neither one of them wanted to go (and also because _they_ were under the impression that their kids were old enough and responsible enough to be left home alone for a few hours), while Marti was hanging out with Dimi Davis next door. After bidding the two teens farewell, they left, but about halfway to the barbeque (fifteen minutes away from their house, but thanks to the traffic, it was longer), Nora remembered that _they_ were supposed to bring the games. So with that thought in mind, George turned around and headed back home so that Nora could quickly run inside and get the games.

She thought nothing of Edwin and Lizzie no longer being in the living room where they'd last seen them (despite the fact that the TV was still on) as she raced upstairs to the Games Closet to retrieve _**Scrabble**_ and _**Monopoly**_. However, nothing could've prepared her for what she stumbled across as soon as she yanked open the door.

Needless to say, the last thing Nora expected to find was her fifteen-year-old daughter on her knees before her _step-brother_, topless (save for a simple green bra) and flushed from head to toe as she proceeded to give said step-brother what could only be described as 'the best blowjob of his life'. At least, that's what the look on his face implied. That, and the fact that he was gripping the back of his step-sister's head and moaning her name like some kind of sacred mantra. The two were _so_ consumed in what they were doing that they didn't even notice Nora's presence until her body hit the floor with a loud _thud_.

Lizzie was the first to snap back to reality, pulling away (much to Edwin's dismay) and groaning loudly when she spotted her mother's unconscious body.

"_Crap_."

X

Twenty minutes later, after Nora had regained consciousness and told her husband _everything_, Lizzie and Edwin (now fully clothed) found themselves sitting on opposite ends of the couch in the living room, watching as their parents paced back and forth in front of them, and tried to figure out how they were going to go about handling the whole ordeal. They were mostly talking to each other, only sparing the two teens a glance every few minutes (to make sure they hadn't scooted closer to one another - the last thing their parents wanted at the moment was for _them_ to be in groping distance) before jumping back into their own conversation.

Having nothing better to do with their time, Edwin and Lizzie just sat quietly and watched.

And watched.

And watched.

And watched, and watched, until finally - after what seemed like eternity - their parents' conversation came to an end, and Nora turned to face them.

Lizzie drew back as soon as she made eye contact with her mother, and bit her lip before glancing down at the clasped hands folded in her lap. Then, hesitantly, she looked up again and met her mother's sharp gaze once more, and held her breath. She didn't know what to say, and even if she did, she wouldn't have said it. There was something ominous and frightful about the look in her mother's eyes - she couldn't recall ever seeing that look before, not even with Derek and Casey. It rendered her speechless, and she couldn't help but peer over at Edwin to see how _he_ was reacting to his father's own penetrating stare.

He wasn't doing any better than her, and the deafening silence that surrounded them wasn't helping at all.

"Well?" George was the first to speak up. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

Edwin's dark eyes darted back and forth between his father and step-mother like he was watching an intense Ping-Pong match or something. He opened his mouth to say something, but no words would come out. Like his step-sister, he too was speechless.

Then Nora tore her gaze away from her daughter, and Lizzie could suddenly breathe again.

She looked up at George.

"What…" She started, not entirely sure what to say. "What do you want us to say?"

"An explanation of what the hell's going on between you two might be nice." Her mother answered, and although her back was turned to her, Lizzie could still hear the anger and distain in her voice.

She glanced to her left, and her eyes locked instantly with Edwin's, who smiled warily and gave a curt nod. She returned the nod and looked back up at George, who was impatiently awaiting her reply.

"We… well… _we're_ sort of… umm… going out." She confessed.

George raised an eyebrow, and her mother whipped back around to look at her, but Lizzie refused to meet her gaze and kept her eyes focused on the TV behind them.

"For how long?" Her mother asked.

"Since ninth grade." Edwin murmured.

"And… how long have you guys been…" George paused momentarily, trying to find the right words. He glanced over at his wife for help, but when she just narrowed her eyes, he turned back to his son and step-daughter, and asked, "How long have you two been sexually active?"

"A few months." Came his step-daughter's soft reply.

"Since my birthday." Edwin elaborated.

"And have you had actual intercourse?"

Neither teen said anything, but that was all the answer their parents needed.

"Oh my _God_." Nora buried her face in her hands.

George sighed loudly and rubbed his temples, trying to process what he'd just heard. He didn't know what to say. What to think. What to _do_. He hadn't even realized that his son was sexually active until a half-hour ago. Had he been confronting Derek about something like this, he probably wouldn't have been as surprised, but considering that it was _Edwin_ and _Lizzie_ of all people… he just… he couldn't even wrap his mind around it.

"You know," he said, "this is the sort of thing I'd expect from Derek and Casey. But never you two. How could you guys be so irresponsible? What if Lizzie had gotten pregnant? What if she _is_ pregnant? Are you really ready to be a father, Edwin?"

Edwin immediately leapt to his feet, his defensiveness kicking in.

"We're not irresponsible!" He snapped. "We were using protection! There's no way she could've -"

"Condoms don't always work, Edwin." Nora cut him off. "They break. And sometimes, they're just defective. Or did you forget that?"

Edwin didn't reply, and reluctantly sat back down.

Meanwhile, Nora turned to her daughter.

"I'm not pregnant." Lizzie muttered.

"I didn't ask if you were." Her mother replied.

"No, but you were thinking it."

"Well, what am I supposed to think?" Nora asked. "My _fifteen-year-old_ daughter has been having sex with her step-brother behind my back for _months_! And while I'm glad you guys have been using protection… it doesn't always work! What if you _had_ gotten pregnant? What then? Because I know you wouldn't ever get an abortion. Or maybe you would. I don't know. I feel like I don't even know you anymore."

Lizzie's eyes welled up with tears, and she clenched her fists tightly.

"I would _NEVER_ kill an innocent life!" She all but shrieked. "I would've had the baby! And then… I would've raised it."

"Alone?" Nora questioned. "Because I doubt the _father_ would be around much to help you."

"Yes. I. _Would_." Edwin growled.

"Oh really?" George challenged. "So, if in the event that you _do_ get Lizzie pregnant, you'd be willing to sacrifice the rest of your teenage years to help raise the child? Because that would mean that you'd have to give up everything… partying, pranks, watching hockey, hanging out with your friends… you'd have to get a stable job and you'd have to put _your_ goals on hold. Would you _really_ be ready to do that, Edwin? Because, as smart as you are, I don't think you would."

Edwin glared venomously at his father, but didn't say anything.

Nora sighed in exasperation and combed her fingers through her hair.

"How did this even happen?" She muttered, more-so to herself than anyone else.

But Lizzie heard her, and decided to answer.

"I don't know." She said, shaking her head. "It just… did. One minute we were best friends, and the next… we were _this_."

"In any case," said George, "Your mother and I need time to think. So, for now, just… go to your rooms and wait there until we call you down."

"Your _own_ rooms." His wife added.

Edwin and Lizzie just nodded numbly as they stood up and disappeared up the stairs. Nora watched their retreating backs until they were out of eyesight, and waited until she heard their respective doors shut before turning around to face her husband.

"So… what now?"

X

It'd been ten minutes since they'd been sent to their rooms. Ten long, agonizing minutes, and by this point, Lizzie was growing anxious and fearful as she waited to be called down for the final verdict. Thousands of scenarios raced through her mind. Would she and Edwin be disowned? Would they be separated? Forbidden to even so much as _look_ at each other? Grounded for life? _What_ was going to happen to them? Lizzie _needed_ to know - she couldn't bear to sit around and wait any longer. The anticipation was practically _killing_ her! It was like waiting to be sentenced to death or something.

The sound of her door creaking open alerted Lizzie of another presence, and she quickly snapped out of her reverie and glanced over.

Her eyes widened.

"_Edwin!_" She hissed, watching as her step-brother closed her door as quietly as possible before tip-toeing over to the side of her bed. "What are you doing here? Go back to your room! We're already in enough trouble as it is!"

"And when has that ever stopped you?" Edwin asked, his eyes twinkling mischievously as he climbed into bed next to her and leaned forward to press his forehead against hers, while reaching down to give her hand a firm squeeze. "Besides, we've been in riskier situations before. Like that time you gave me a hand-job during Thanksgiving dinner? _That_ could've blown our cover. Or what about that time we were caught by Lasiter when we were feeling each other up in the janitor's closet at school? We're lucky he didn't expel us or call our parents. Then again, he was probably used to it thanks to Derek and Casey." He laughed quietly before adding, "Or what about when Marti walked in on us while I was -"

"That's different!" Lizzie snapped. "That was _before_ mom and George found out!"

Edwin sighed in defeat.

"Yeah, I know." He said. "I was just hoping for… I don't know. I mean, what if this is the last time we get to see each other? I mean, for all we know, I could be shipped off to some boarding school in France, and that would be the end of _us_. I want to spend as much time with you as I can if that _does_ happen."

"Do you really think they'd do that?" Lizzie asked. "Separate us?"

"I don't know…" Edwin murmured, lowering the strap of her tank top and kissing her bare shoulder. "Maybe. I mean… they're pretty pissed. I don't think I've ever seen my dad that angry before - not even when Derek was caught driving under the influence."

Lizzie didn't reply. Instead, she closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the headboard. She couldn't help but smile in contentment when she felt Edwin's lips travel upward, and a pleased sigh left her lips when he began to nibble on the base of her neck.

"I love you," she said softly, threading her fingers through his hair. "I really do."

"Do you?" Came the muffled response, before Edwin lifted his head and met her cerulean gaze. "Do you really?"

Lizzie nodded.

"Yeah." She said. "More than anything in the world."

Edwin smirked.

"Even soccer?" He asked. "Or your precious _environment_?"

Lizzie rolled her eyes, but returned the smirk.

"Yes." She said. "Even those."

"That's good, 'cause… I love you too." Edwin confessed, rolling on top of her and burying his face in the crook of her neck. "You smell nice."

A small giggle left his step-sister's lips as she wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

They stayed like that for a little while longer until Edwin - not wanting them to get into even more trouble than they already were - decided it was time to return to his room. After whispering a few sweet nothings into her ear and giving her a quick (but emotional) kiss on the lips, he was gone.

No more than five minutes passed after that before they were called back downstairs to face the music.

X

"So, what's the verdict, G-Vent?"

That was the first thing Edwin said as he entered the living room and collapsed on the couch. His chipper and upbeat tone raised questioning eyebrows from his dad and Nora, as well as Lizzie, who was already sitting down, but he didn't mind. Yet, despite how he sounded on the _outside_, he was feeling the complete opposite on the inside. Still, he knew _his_ terror and _his_ fears didn't even _begin_ to compare to those of his step-sister's, and he knew that _one_ of them had to remain optimistic during the whole ordeal, so naturally… he decided it would have to be him.

Unfortunately, neither his father nor his step-mother looked very amused, and he couldn't help but cower slightly under their icy stares.

"Now's not the time, Edwin." Nora scolded. "This is a very serious matter."

Edwin lowered his gaze.

"Yeah, I know." He said. "So… what is it?"

"Well -" His father began, but Edwin interrupted before he could finish.

"You're going to disown us, aren't you?" He cried, jumping to his feet and pointing an accusing finger at his father. "AREN'T YOU?"

His accusation seemed to catch both adults off guard because they were both staring at the teen with identical looks of shock and bewilderment etched across their faces.

"_What?_" George exclaimed, once he'd regained his composure. "No! Of course not! What would give you that idea?"

"You mean… you're not?" Edwin asked, letting his arm fall limply at his side.

"No!" Both parents cried.

"Are you going to separate us, then?" Lizzie asked. "Make me move in with dad while Edwin gets sent to a boarding school in France?"

"What? France? What… what are you two _talking_ about?"

"So you're not?"

"NO!"

"Oh." A pause. "Then… what's gonna happen to us?"

"Well, if you'd be quiet and let us explain, we'd tell you." Nora snapped.

The two teens shut up instantly.

"We would _never_ disown you two. You're our children. We love you too much to do that, even if you are incredibly irresponsible and stupid." George started. "Though, we'd be lying if we said that the 'separation' thing didn't come up, because it did. _But_ -" He added quickly, noticing his son's movement to protest, "- we decided that separating you two would be too… cruel. And not right. Especially since we really should've seen it coming."

Edwin and Lizzie exchanged confused glances.

"Seen _what_ coming?"

"You two," Nora replied, "getting together." She paused briefly to look over at her husband before turning back to face her daughter and step-son. "When _we_ got married, we knew that having two teenagers, who weren't related by blood, living in the same household might be a bit of a challenge… _especially_ when we took into account all of the raging hormones and sexual tension and all of that stuff… and we were fully prepared to deal with it." She took a deep breath before continuing, "We were fully prepared to deal with the teenagers of the house… _at the time_. Derek and Casey."

"We thought _they_ would be the ones to get together, especially what with all the physical fighting and arguments." George said. "And we were fully prepared to deal with _them_, but not…"

"Us." Edwin finished, motioning to himself and his step-sister.

His father nodded.

"I don't know," he said, "I guess we just thought that you two were too young to see each other like that… we thought that, by the time you _were_ teenagers, you'd have seen each other as siblings long enough to cancel out any romantic interest in one another. But, I guess we were wrong."

"Obviously."

"_Lizzie._"

"Sorry."

Edwin sighed.

"So… what now?" He asked. "Are you going to forbid us from seeing each other or something?"

"No, we'll allow it." Nora replied, and Edwin's jaw nearly hit the floor.

"_Seriously?_" He cried. "You will?"

His father and step-mother nodded, and the teen couldn't help but let out a _whoop!_ of excitement as he turned to Lizzie, who seemed as equally shocked as he was.

"HOWEVER," Nora said. "You two aren't completely off the hook. You're both grounded for three months, and there _will_ be rules to follow from now on."

Edwin stopped cheering and slumped back down on the couch.

"Like _what_?" He groaned.

Before Nora could answer, the front door swung open and Marti walked in, only to stop dead in her tracks when she noticed the scene taking place in the living room. She looked at Edwin and Lizzie first, and then her father and Nora, then repeated the action a few more times before something _clicked_ in her mind and a smirk spread across her face.

"You told them, didn't you?" She asked.

"Not exactly…" Her brother muttered. "Nora… kind of… walked in on us."

"Wait, _what_?" George shouted. "_Marti_ knows? How does Marti know?"

"I'm psychic. Didn't you know?"

"No. You're not." Edwin said, rolling his eyes before turning back to his dad. "Umm… she kind of… walked in on me while I was… umm…" He trailed off, his face burning an interesting shade of red as he recalled just _how_ his sister found out about them.

"While you were what?" Nora asked.

"Umm…"

"Spit it out, Ed."

"Umm… while I was… umm…"

"Hurry up, Edwin. We don't have all day!"

"Uh…"

"Oh for the love of -- while he was eating me out, _OKAY_?" Lizzie snapped impatiently, before realizing what she said and clamping a hand over her mouth.

"Don't worry, though." Marti assured her father and step-mother, who were gawking at her older siblings like they'd just grown tentacles. "I'm not scarred for life or anything. Besides, I've seen _a lot_ worse. You should've seen some of the stuff Derek and Casey used to -"

"MARTI!" Edwin cried, his attention reverting back to his younger sister. "Derek and Casey swore us all to secrecy! Aw man, Derek's gonna kick my ass for this when he finds out…"

"Wait. Derek and Casey are together too?" George asked, clearly having trouble with keeping up with all of the newfound information being thrown his way.

"Sort of." Lizzie replied. "They've had this on again-off again relationship since… well… since forever."

"I _KNEW_ IT!" George exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "Oh, Derek is going to be in SO much trouble the next time he's over… are they too old to be grounded?"

"Him and Casey both." His wife muttered from beside him. "And yes. They are."

"Too bad…"

"Speak of the Devil…" Marti chimed in as she ventured further into the living room and pulled out her cell phone. She read her latest text before glancing up and grinning. "Apparently they're coming over for dinner tomorrow."

"Good. Then tomorrow night, we'll get this whole thing under control. Neither of them is leaving this house until we know the whole story!" Her father declared.

"So does that mean that all of your rules are pretty much void until tomorrow?" Edwin asked hopefully, smiling suggestively at Lizzie, who smiled back.

"No. Now go to your rooms!" His father ordered.

"Okay." Edwin shrugged, grabbing Lizzie's hand and racing up the stairs.

It took a moment for George to catch on and yell after them.

"YOUR _OWN_ ROOMS, EDWIN!"

But by that point, both teens were too consumed in what they were doing to hear him.

X

FIN

X

**That last scene irks me, but aside from that, I'm quite pleased with how this oneshot turned out. **

**So… yeah. It's M-rated, but not TOO explicit. I wanted to write a (slightly) mature oneshot with Edwin and Lizzie as teenagers, so… I did. But it took me a while.**

**Also, I bumped up Marti's age a bit. She's around 12 or 13 in this. I wanted her to be old enough to understand (without having to ask questions afterwards) and be able to counter certain circumstances with really snarky and slightly sarcastic responses. And I wanted her to have a cell phone, and for anyone who's wondering… YES. It's PURPLE.**

**And… yeah. That's pretty much all I have to say.**

**I hope you enjoyed the read, and I would love it if you left a ****review**** and told me what you think!**

**Thanks.**

_**-Lady Azura-**_


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